Your Baby is Speaking to You

From an international expert on infant-parent communication, Your Baby Is Speaking To Youis destined to become a parenting classic. Through intimate access to babies and their families, Dr. Kevin Nugent and acclaimed photographer Abelardo Morellcapture the amazingly precocious communications strategies babies demonstrate from the moment they are born. (From the publisher’s blurb).

“No other book so beautifully captures and decodes the way babies ‘speak’ to us. A new parent classic” T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.

Your Baby Is Speaking to Youillustrates the full range of behaviors—early smiling to startling, feeding to sleeping, listening to your voice and recognizing your face. The newest research—including information on subtle and fleeting behaviors not seen or explained in any other book—illuminates the meaning of the things babies do that concern and delight new parents – the language of yawning – the rich range of cries, and how to understand their meanings – baby’s earliest “sleep smiles” and sleep states, and what they signify

Your Baby Is Speaking To You delivers the information parents crave in gentle, accessible style while giving parents the confidence they need to respond to their own baby’s way of communicating during the very first astonishing days and the months beyond.

“This is a wonderful book. With his vast experience working with mothers and their babies, Dr. Kevin Nugent has captured with exquisite sensitivity the myriad of behaviors of the human infant. With the beautiful pictures of Abelardo Morell and the detailed explanation and poetic descriptions of Dr. Nugent, the world of the baby makes sense and becomes delightfully available for parents to discover”.

More Reviews

Bella bambino! In this gorgeous book on early infancy, physician Nugent and photographer Morell provide a stunning layout combined with rich, graceful text. From the different looks (and purposes) of light and deep sleep, to the “fencer response” (picture baby on back: en garde!), to the sleep smile, the authors beautifully capture these universal reactions and explain their role in infant communication and development. Parents of colicky babies can play, too: there are wonderful images and descriptions of “not very cuddly” and “not easily settled” babies, as well as distressed and startled infants. Each page features a large photograph with three to five paragraphs of text, which render the book easy to read and browse. This is, quite simply, a beautiful and elegant book, appropriate for anyone who has ever loved, or wants to love, a baby.

Julianne J. Smith, “Parenting ShortTakes,” BookSmack! –

“If you bring a book to the hospital with you when you give birth, this one would be perfect as it can be read in short little parts whenever you have a few minutes……..It’s a great book for parents to be, either new or seasoned, especially if its been a while”

SMS Book Reviews

“One can tell this book was created with love and deep patience. The best word I can think to associate with the experience of perusing is “gentle.”

Reviewed by Katherine Kuzma-Beck at Artworks Suite101 –

“A baby book is not something that readers will typically associate with art books. However, the photography included in Your Baby Is Speaking to You is heart-warming and makes the book a great one to leaf through, even for those of us who do not have children and for those of us who are not usually captivated by other people’s off-spring”.

International Association of Infant Massage Review

“Forget the traditional books written by so-called parenting experts – Kevin Nugent, colleague of Berry T. Bazelton and Director of the Brazelton Institute is an international expert of a very different kind…… ” Read more at IAIM page.

Bookreads –

“Easy to read with short chapters and lots of lovely pictures to illustrate the text. I think this would be a great book for those expecting their first born, a perfect gift for new parents.

Escape in a Book Blog review –

“First off, the pictures are gorgeous. You can absolutely see what emotions Dr Nugent and Mr Morell were trying to capture in every single shot. Dr Nugent’s text is also gentle and illuminating, and provides quite a bit of insight into the ways babies communicate”.

Review from Goodreads –

“Love this book. Beautiful pictures, beautifully written…babies do communicate with those around them and this book captures those precious moments is a very sweet way”.

“Every once in awhile I find a book that not only delights me but makes me want to give it to every pregnant and new family that I know. I met Dr. Nugent almost 10 years ago and fell in love with his approach to helping new parents understand who their babies are. Want to know about newborns? Open any page. Look at the gorgeous photographs and the description of what baby is saying. It’s a perfect book for parents-to-be, grandparents and caregivers. May you sigh in joy.”

Review from Goodreads –

“This book is incredible and a must for first time parents. Your Baby is Speaking to You is a visual guide to the amazing behaviors of your newborn and growing baby. This book has helped me in countless ways. As us mamas know you eventually learn to distinguish babies cries from pain, hunger, boredom etc…but this book helps offer up cues to babies wants long before a cry is reached. Is your baby overstimulated, focused intently on learning, enjoying your gaze and interaction or finding it all just too much? By watching the movements, eyes and even the corners of our babies mouths we can more easily enjoy, troubleshoot and provide the best environment possible for our littles”.

From moderndaymoms.com –

“a brand spankin’ new release that is going to be added to my default baby gift list. It’s a great addition to the library of new parents. It’s tenderly written, easy to read and the photography is stunning.

Each two-page spread has a full-page photo of an infant smiling, sleeping, crying, holding a finger or gazing into space, with an eloquent and non-judgemental explanation of what the child is communicating to you non-verbally. As a new parent, it provides invaluable knowledge and just may keep you off the phone with your pediatrician or health-link nine times out of ten”.

From theoopiniatedparent.com –

“I loved the fact that this book was an easy read. The chapters were nice and brief. I love the fact that Dr. Nugent did not use jargon-filled text that was dry. As I read this book, I imagined my son throughout! As I read the chapter on crawling, I watched as my own son was learning to crawl! I have read many baby books, but I still learned some new facts from Dr. Nugent’s book. For example, I couldn’t understand why my son fusses when my daughter is trying to play with him on the floor. I realized after reading this book that he’s fussing because he’s overstimulated. My daughter tends to place numerous toys in front of him and he must be fussing because he doesn’t like it. Since I read this, I have been quick to intervene and remind my daughter about this. I then give him one toy and remove the others”.

Reviewed by Tidbitsfromamom.blog.org –

“It’s hard to explain exactly what this book is. In the intro, the author says, “Parents and other caregivers lament…that babies do not come with an owner’s manual.” In large part, that is really what Nugent has created here. It’s a simple “technical manual” that tells you, and also, with breathtakingly gorgeous photography, SHOWS you what to expect from a newborn. He hits all the major reflexes and explains what they are and why they occur (stepping, fencing, crawling rooting, etc.). He shows phases of sleep, basics of activity — overstimulation, gazing, reaching and more. He deals with variation in babies — this is not a “one book fits all babies” manual.

The “parenting advice” woven into the text is outstanding. As a student of Berry Brazelton who is now the current director of the Brazelton Institute, and an unqualified expert on newborn behavior and infant development, Dr. Nugent provides such a lovely guide to approaching infant behavior (and how NOT to interpret it, which is just as important). This is not some corny “baby language translation” book — but a subtle examination of what babies do and why”.

“We’ve all wished, at one time or another, for that ever elusive infant manual; the one that clearly and successfully decodes your infants every cry, every expression, and every need. While such an oracle does not exist, Your Baby Is Speaking to You: A Visual Guide to the Amazing Behaviors of Your Newborn and Growing Baby begins to unlock the mysteries of babies’ behavior”.

When I first laid eyes on the beautiful book “Your Baby Is Speaking To You: A Visual Guide To The Amazing Behaviors of Your Newborn and Growing Baby” by Dr. Kevin Nugent, I knew I would be reviewing it. I also knew exactly who I would be passing it on to……. I appreciated a disclaimer offered in the introduction: “This book does not set out to offer advice on how to care for your baby. There are many wise books for parents, and indeed, many wise people in your community to whom you can turn for advice.” This is not a parenting manual. It’s different, and it’s more. As I flipped through, reading passages here and there, it made me wish that this resource had been available to me when my girls were first born. ”This is a must read”.

The Big Theme this month is how the brain works (and, in my case, how it often doesn’t). Like most magazine staffs, we love to argue about what should go on the cover. Our choices narrowed to two approaches: a pixilated photo of Albert Einstein, and a baby. We chose the baby.

The Einstein picture is cool because it’s part of a gallery of barely recognizable historical figures and celebrities. Our brains are able to recognize complex objects like faces with very little data. The eyes see stuff, and the brain fills in any gaps. Still, the baby won out because—well, because it’s a baby, but also because babies are much smarter than we give them credit for. Veteran writer Nat Reade spent some quality time with Kevin Nugent, a pioneer in baby-speak. He helps parents interpret what their newborns are trying to say. Which, it turns out, is a lot.

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5 Responses to Your Baby is Speaking to You

This is a wonderful book but I can’t find a Spanish language version for sale. I have seen an Italian and a Turkish version. The new mothers in our parenting group who can read English love reading through the book again and again. Please, please publish this in Spanish!

Austen Riggs Centre sponsors NBO Training

As part of The Human Development Strategic Initiative, over thirty practitioners participated in NBO training at the Austen Riggs Center on April 8th and 9th, 2017. J. Kevin Nugent joined Riggs’ staff member, Claudia Gold, in providing the NBO training.

NBO Training in Shanghai

Pediatricians, nurses and midwives - predominantly from Shanghai but from other parts of China also - attended the training at Pudong Health Care Hospital for Women and Children. While 18 trainees participated in the NBO session, five trainees took part in the NBAS session.

NBO Training in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Nagoya

NBO training, hosted by Joyce MOK and the Hong Kong Association for Infant Mental Health was presented in Hong Kong in September, 2016. NBO training was also conducted in Tokyo and Nagoya. Two new NBO trainers Mariko Iwayama and Eiko Saito were installed as NBO trainers. In all three settings, Campbell Paul and Kevin Nugent were the trainers. Professor Shohei Ohgi, the Director of NBAS and NBO training in Japan hosted the NBO training.

World Association for Infant Mental Health Congress, Prague

Dr. Nugent delivered a Master Lecture at the World Association for Infant Mental Health Congress, Prague on June 1st, 2016.

25th Nordic Infant Mental Health Meeting (NFSU)

Dr. Kevin Nugent gave the keynote address at the 25th annual NFSU meeting in Olso, March 10th, 2016.

Dr. Nugent speaks in the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament)

Dr. Nugent was invited to speak to the Joint Committee on Health and Children, Houses of the Oireachtas, Leinster House, Dublin 2, on November 12, 2015

NBO Training in Bern, Switzerland

Drs. Nugent and Slinning presented NBO training at the Univeristy of Bern on Nov 19-20th. The training included nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, physiotherapists and infant specialists from all over Switzerland and was organized by Professor Eva Cignacco Mülller and Natascha Schütz Hämmerli.

Professor Nugent gave the keynote address at Psychological Society of Ireland Annual Meeting in Galway, November 13th, 2013. He also presented a workshop on the NBO to members of the Irish Infant Mental Health Association and the Psychology Society of Ireland in Dublin on November 16th, 2015.

Professor Nugent was awarded the 2015 Presidential Citation from the Psychological Society of Ireland by Dr. Paul D’Alton, President of the PSI. The citation read:
“In recognition and deep appreciation for your significant contribution to infant mental health and the resulting betterment of the human project”.

Summer 2015: NBO Training in Australia & Salish & Kootenai tribes in the US and US

Dr. Susan Nicolson conducted NBO training with Aboriginal workers in Northern Victoria, Australia. Dr. Constance Keefer and Dr. Yvette Blanchard conducted NBO training with the Salish & Kootenai tribes in Montana in the United States. NBO training also took place in Boston, Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin in Fall 2015.

NBO Training in Johannesburg, South Africa,

The first NBO training to take place in Africa, took place at the Ububele Parent Infant Programme in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 11-12th, 2015. Ububele is an educational and psychotherapy trust providing training and services to improve the emotional development of children under 7 years.

NBO presentation at the 2015 Biannual Society for Research in Child Development Meeting

Dr. Jessica Dym-Bartlett and J. Kevin Nugent presented: A Randomized Study of the Effects of a Short-Term Strengths-Based Newborn Intervention on Mother-Infant Interaction at the SRCD meeting in Philadelphia.

An international conference presented by Professor Gherardo Rapisardi, NBAS trainer for Italy, took place in Rome on March 13-14th, 2015. The conference was attended by 700-800 professionals from all over Italy. The title was: “Mi fido di te – I TRUST YOU! ” – A tribute to T. Berry Brazelton. See International section for details.

UK Trainers Meeting, University of Cambridge, Jan 2015

The Møller Centre, Churchill College at the University of Cambridge was the setting for a special meeting of UK NBO trainers which took place on 29th – 31st January, 2015. See international Section.

NBO Training at UC Davis Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship

NBO Training for the new UC Davis Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship program, under Dr. Kristi Brandt's direction, took place on March 29th at Napa. Drs. Keefer and Nugent presented the training, which was attended by a range of professionals from across California and other parts of the country.

Successful NBO training in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

The first NBO Training to take place in Brazil was presented at the Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte on March 27-28th, 2015. It was an extremely successful learning experience for participants. The trainers were Drs. Lise Johnson and Beth McManus, while the facilitators were Prof. Claudia Regina Lindgren Alves, MD, PhD and Profa. Titular Lívia C.Magalhães.

NBO Training in Thisted, North Jutland, Denmark.

The first NBO training program in Denmark was conducted in Thisted in North Jutland by NBO Trainers Jeanette Appleton and Inge Nickell (UK) on October 1st-2nd., 2014. The training was convened by Merethe Vinter.

NBO Certification in Norway

Twenty-five NBO trainees received their certificates from NBO Trainers Drs. Kari Slinning and Nancy Moss at a meeting in Lillehammer in November, 2014.